Air-brake appliance.



PATBNTED OCT. 16, 1906.-

H. G. LUCK. AIR BRAKE APPLIANCE. APPLICATION FILED APE.27,1906.

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PATENTED OCT. 16, 1906.

H. 0. LUCK.

AIR BRAKE APPLIANCE. APPLICATION FILED APB..27,1906.

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UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

AIR-I-BRYAKE APPLIANCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 16, 1906.

Application filed April 27 1906. $811211 N0- 313 94.8-

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HANS CHRISTIAN LUoK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Telluride, in the county of San Miguel and State of Colorado, have invented a new and. Improved Air-Brake Appliance, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. I

The invention relates to air-brake appliances such as shown and described in Letters Patent of the United States N 0. 814,974, granted to me March 13, 1906.

The object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved air-brake appliance designed to automatically set the brakes in the train in case any one of the cars in the train moves out of normal position either by derailment or on account of a broken axle, broken arch-bars, or other causes.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, which will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar charactersof reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a car-truck provided with the improvement, the car-body being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2'is an enlarged sectional side elevation of the improvement on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the same on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4-is a similar view of the same on the line 44 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view of the same on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-section of the improvement on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1.

The train-pipe A of a fluid-pressure brake of the Westinghouse or othertype and secured to the under side of the car-body B of a car-is provided with a branch pipe 0, normally closed by a plug-valve D, having a casing D anda plug D adapted to move axially to allow the escape of air from the branch pipe C and the train-pipe A to apply the brakes in the usual manner. The branch pipe O adjacent to the plug-valve D is supported in a frame E, attached to the under side of the car-body B, and the longitudinal bore of the plug-valve D is closed at the outer end by a plug E, fixed on the framework E. By reference to Fig. 5 it will be seen that when the plug D is moved axially in the direction of the arrow a then the air can escape from the branch pipe O and the train-pipe A by way of the casing B and its outlet D The outer end of the plug D is provided with a pivoted stem D connected by a short chain or a similar flexible connection D with a transverse pin D held in the forked end F of a bar F, carrying at its forked end F a plate F preferably made square and seated on a seat E formed on the frame E. A spring G, coiled on the stern D and resting at one end on a washer G, abutting against the rear face of the seat E presses with its other end on a shoulder 1), formed on the stem D, so that the plug D is normally held in a closed position on its seat in the casing D. When, however, a sidewise, up or down movement is given to the bar F, then the square plate F swings onthe seat E as the corresponding side, top, or bottom of the plate then forms a fulcrum, and consequently the bar F by the flexible connection D exerts a pull on the stem D to move the plug D axially into an open position to allow the escape of air from the branch pipe C and the train-pipe A. The plate F is normally held to its seat E by springs H, coiled on bolts H, attached to the plate F, the springs H resting at their forward ends on the back of the seat E and abut with their rear ends on washers H held adjustably on the bolts H by the nuts H thereof, so that the tension of the springs H can be regulated.

The forward end of the bar F terminates in a vertical arm F on which are adjustably secured horizontally-disposed arms F" .and F by the use of pins F each engaging one of a series of apertures F formed on the upper and lower terminals of the vertical arm F. This forward end of the bar F is engaged by the members I and I for a fork I, attached to a rod l secured to a bolster of the car-truck B, so that when the latter assumes an angular position relative to the car-body B then the fork I on account of being a permanent fixture of the truck moves with the latter and consequently engages either the vertical arm F or the upper or lower horizontal arm F or F to move the bar F in a corresponding direction, whereby the plug D is withdrawn, as previously explained, and air escapes from the branch pipe C and the train-pipe A to actuate 'the airbrake mechanism in the usual manner with a view to setting the brakes to bring the train to a stop. The members I and I of the fork ing member I or I striking the vertical arnr or either of the horizontal arms F or F Thus the car can readily pass around sharp curves without danger of the air-brakes being automatically applied by the device above described, and the car-truck can also have a short up-and-down movement relative' to the car-body without setting the brakes, it being understood that the angle of position of the car-truck relative to the carbody must be more than that assumed by the train going around a sharp curve or more than the ordinary up-and-down move ment of the car relative to the body for the device to automatically set the brakes, as above described.

From the'foregoing it will be seen that Whenever the car-truck assumes an abnormal position relative to the car-body then a quick application of the brakes by means of the air-brake system is caused, so that a train is automatically brought to a stand still withina comparatively short time, and consequently serious damage to the train and to the road-bed is entirely prevented.

It is understood that each car is provided with two of the device described, one for each truck,-so that when either a front or rear truck assumes the abnormal position referred to then the brakes are applied to bring the train to a standstill.

The head of the set-screw I is engaged by a suitable lock J, (see Fig. 2,) to prevent the set-screw I from working loose.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. An air-brake appliance for automatically, setting the brakesof a car in a train, comprising actuating means on the cartruck, a valve adapted to discharge air from the trainpipe, spring-actuated mechanism adapted to normally close said valve, and a universal connection between said actuating means and the said valve adapted to open the latter on a car moving in any direction out of its normal position in the train.

2. An air-brake appliance for automatically setting the brakes of a car in a train, comprising a fork fixed on the car-truck, a valve for discharging air from the train-pipe, spring-actuated mechanism adapted to normallyclose said valve, and means connected with said valve and controlled by the said fork for opening the valve on the fork moving vertically or horizontally beyond a predetermined angle.

3. An air-brake appliance for automatically setting the brakes of a car in the train, comprising a fork fixed on the car-truck, a valve for discharging air from the train-pipe,

'and a spring-pressed connection capable to swing sidewise and up and down, the said connection being controlled by the said fork and connected with the said valve to open the latter on the fork moving the said connection sidewise, up or down beyond a predetermined angle.

4. An air-brake appliance for automatically setting the brakes of a car in the train, comprising a fork fixed on the car-truck, a valve for discharging air from the train-pipe, a rectangular seat on the car-body, and a spring-pressed plate normally seated on the said seat and having a shank connected with the stem of the said valve, the shank having vertical and transverse arms adapted to be engaged by the said fork on the latter moving beyond a predetermined angle in a sidewise, up or down direction.

I 5. An air-brake appliance for automatically setting the brakes of a car in the train, comprising a fork fixed on the car-truck, a valve for discharging air from the train-pipe, a rectangular seat on the car-body, and a spring-pressed plate normally seated on the said seat and having a shank flexibly connected with the stem of the said valve, the shank having vertical and transverse arms adapted to be engaged by the said fork on the latter moving beyond a predetermined angle in a sidewise, up or down direction.

6. An air-brake appliance for automatically setting the brakes of a car in the train, comprising a fork fixed on the car-truck, a valve for discharging air from the train-pipe,

a rectangular seat on the carbody, a spring pressed plate normally seated on the said seat and having a shank flexibly connected with the stem of the said valve, the shank having vertical and transverse arms adapted to be engaged by the said fork on the latter moving beyond a predetermined angle in a sidewise, up or down direction, and a spring for holding the valve to its seat.

7. An air-brake appliance for automatically setting the brakes of a car in the train, comprising actuating means on the cartruck, a plug-valve for discharging air from the train-pipe on pulling the plug axially into an open position, and a connection between the said plug and the said actuating means for pulling the plug open on the car moving out of its normal position in the train.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HANS CHRISTIAN LUCK.

Witnesses:

ANDREW W. LYoNs, EDWARD TANNA. 

